Manuel Santos took up his post as General Manager of The Yeatman on 31 August 2026, in Vila Nova de Gaia. In doing so, he leaves the leadership of the Monumental Palace in Porto, a post he had held since May 2022, to join one of Portugal’s most acclaimed properties, owned by the Fladgate Partnership wine group.
The announcement, well received on LinkedIn, spoke of gratitude towards his teams and the achievements shared during his time at the Monumental Palace, as well as a new chapter he approaches with the aim of upholding The Yeatman’s strong reputation.
Four years and four months at the helm of the Monumental Palace
Manuel Santos took over as General Manager of the Monumental Palace in May 2022, when the property was operating under the Maison Albar Hotels banner. From July 2024, he also served as Area General Manager for the entire Maison Albar portfolio in Portugal.
In November 2025, Spanish group H10 Hotels acquired the Monumental Palace from Centaurus Hospitality Management, bringing to a close seven years of operation under the Maison Albar flag. The property then joined the The One by H10 Hotels collection, and Manuel Santos continued as General Manager until August 2026, bringing his total tenure at the helm of the hotel to four years and four months.
An international career spanning almost three decades
A 1997 graduate of the Porto School of Hotel Management (EHTP), Manuel Santos began his career with the Dom Pedro Hotels group in Vilamoura, before joining Belmond at the Lapa Palace in Lisbon. He then continued his career in London, with Thistle Hotels and subsequently Starwood Hotels & Resorts, including a spell at the Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa.
His career then took on an international dimension, with roles at Jumeirah Group in Dubai, as part of the pre-opening team for the Madinat Jumeirah Resort, followed by spells with Hyatt Hotels Corporation in London, Sandals Resorts in the Bahamas and Rotana Hotel Management in Abu Dhabi, where he headed food and beverage operations at the Beach Rotana.
Six years with the Four Seasons group
Manuel Santos joined Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in 2014, spending six years with the group. He first led food and beverage operations at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha, before moving across to head the rooms division at the same property.
He then joined the pre-opening team for the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island, before taking on the role of Resort Manager at the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler in Canada, a post he held until June 2020.
Return to Portugal and diversified activities
Back in Porto from 2020, Manuel Santos combined several roles: Cluster Director of Food and Beverage at WOW Porto, business development and operations consultant for Singapore-based hotel concierge platform avendi, and lecturer at the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Porto, a role he maintained until March 2026.
The Yeatman, a wine-country flagship of the Fladgate Partnership
Opened in 2010, The Yeatman is a 109-room luxury hotel and member of the Relais & Châteaux collection, owned by the Fladgate Partnership, the family-owned group behind the port wine houses Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft and Wiese & Krohn. The property, whose fine-dining restaurant under chef Ricardo Costa holds two Michelin stars, overlooks the Douro and Porto’s historic centre from the heights of Vila Nova de Gaia.
The appointment comes amid sustained movement within Porto’s hospitality sector, where several international groups, including H10 Hotels, active across several European markets, are strengthening their presence in the Portuguese market.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Manuel Santos appointed General Manager of The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia
Took up his new role on 31 August 2026, after four years and four months leading the Monumental Palace in Porto
Guided the property through its transition from Maison Albar Hotels to The One by H10 Hotels following its November 2025 acquisition
Also served as Area General Manager for Maison Albar’s Portuguese portfolio from July 2024
Nearly three decades of international experience, including six years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Doha, Seychelles and Whistler
The Yeatman is a Relais & Châteaux property owned by The Fladgate Partnership, with a two-Michelin-starred restaurant
